Retaining device for radiator caps



Feb. 16 192s. 1,573,096 H. SCHLAICH v RETAINING DEVICE FOR RADIATOR CAPS Filed March 1922 IN WEN TOR momma Patented Feb. 16, 1926.

UNITED STATES PAT HERMAN SCHLAICH 0]? LONG ISLAND CITY, NEW YORK- RETAINING DEVICE FOR RADIATOR CAPS.

Application filed March 24, 1922. Serial No. 546,438.

To all w/mm 2'! may concern:

Be it known that I, HERMAN Svumwn, a citizen of the United States, residing in Long Island City, county of Queens, and

State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Retaining Devices for Radiator aps, of which the following is a specification. v x

This invention relates to retaining devices for radiator caps of automobiles and partieularly for caps which are equipped with instruments such as the motor heat indicating, instrument now in common use on motor vehicles. Radiator caps when so equipped, offer a temptation to the petty thief, and the general object of this invention is to provide a new and improved retaining device which is simple'and rugged in construction, cheap to manufacture, easily applied, and when applied will beellicient for the purpose for which it is intended.

The invention will be understoodfrom the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 is an elevation, partly in section, of a preferred form of the invention attached to an instrumcntmounted on a radiator cap,- in the process of being attached to a radiator; F igure 2 is an elevation, partly in section, showing the device of Figure l in position after being attached to aradif ator; and F igure 3 is a bottom View of the toggle member forming part of the fastening device shown in Figures 1 and 2.

Certain'features disclosed in the present app! 'ation are disclosed and claimed in my pending applications 546,437, filed March 24, 1922, for retaining device for radiator caps and Serial No. 377,501, filed April 29, 1920, for retaining devices.

Referring to the drawing, the invention is shown as used in connection with a tem perature indicating instrument 20 of a well known form having a threaded stem 22 adapted to project through a hole in a radiator cap 24 to which the instrument is secured by a nut 26 threaded upon the stem 22 and adapted to engage a washer 28 interposed between the nut and the inside of the a body portion in the form of a flat ring 40 having extending from one side thereof a plurality of lugs 41.. Pivotally mounted be tween the lugs 41 on pins 42 are fingers 44 which may be of the form shown. By providing slots in the ring 40 in line with the spaces between the lugs 41, the fingers 44 may be moved to the positions shown in Figure 1 and when the toggle member is in its spread position, the fingers or arms 44 lie with their heels in engagement with the bottom of the ring 40 in the positions shown in Figures 2 and 3. As shown, the heels of the fingers 44 are provided with slots 46 adapted to receive an elastic band 47 which after the toggle member has been inserted througlra radiator neck will assist to move the fingers 44 from the position shown in Figure 1 to that shown in Figure 2. The toggle member is connected to the stem 22 of the instrument 20 by means of a chain 49 which at its upper end is attached by a swivel connection to the stem of the instrument. This swivel connection may corn- -prise a shell 50 of the form shown havin within its upper end an internally threaded ring '51 adapted to cooperate with the threaded stem and be held thereon by a set screw 52 which is preferably provided with a Wrench socket of special form in order to render it difiicult of removal. At the bottom, the shell 50 is provided with a hole through which the top link of the chain 49 may extend, thereby permitting the pin 54. to be passed through said link and arranged to rest on the inside of the bottom of the shell 50. The other end of the chain 49 passes freely through a hole 56 in the body portion 40 of the toggle member, and a split ring 57, adapted to be passed through any link of the chain 49 and too large to pass through the hole 56 in the toggle mem ber, may serve as an adjustable means for attaching the toggle member to the chain at a proper distance from the instrument stem.

The retaining device is installed in the following manner: The inside length of the radiator neck is measured, and the effective length of the chain 49 is so adjusted that the distance between the top of'tlie toggle memher and the bottom of the. shell 50 will extill) ceed the length of the radiator neck by a Ell the radiator to be tilled without interference by the radiator cap. The lingers 4 t of the toggle member are then folded into the position shown in Figure 1 at substantially in right angle to the plane in which the lingers lie after the device is installed, against the tension of an elastic band -17, which, however, may not be necessary; and the toggle member is inserted in and dropped down through the radiator neck 39.,czrre being taken to retain hold of the shell 50, prolerably by means of a string or wire. ll will be obvious that when the ends of the lingers M of the toggle member cease to engage the inside of the radiator neck, the fingers will move outwardly.to the position shown in Figure 2 within the s ace in the top of the radiator. Stein 22 o the instrument may then be screwed into the ring 51 in the shell 50, and may be permanently secured in posi tion by the set screw 52. The instrument will then be secured to the radiator by the retaining device. In some cases, instead of dropping the toggle member into the rudietor before the shell is attached to the instrument stem, the shell and stem inziy be. first connected together, utter which the toggle member may be dropped into the radietor neck and the fingers allowed to spread into their holding positions.

While I have shown one form in which my invention may be embodied, it is to be understood. that in the eppendedclaims I intend to cover not only his form but any other forms which embody the principles of my invention.

\Vhst 1 claim is: i

l. A retaining deriee for use with n rudiator cop equipped with an instrument hm inn :1 threaded stein projecting through it hole in said cap, coxnprisinge toggle incinbcr having at body portion and :1, plurality of automatically operable fingers inorubly connected thereto, and means connecting said toggle member with said instrument slcni, sziid fingers being;- ellective to prevent removal of the toggle inen'ihcr from the radiator.

A retaining device for use with it rudislor cup equipped with an instrument hex ing a threaded stein projecting through it hole in said cap, comprising ii toggle incinher having a body portion and a pluriilil y of fingers p irotelly connected thereto, and means connecting sand toggle member with said instrument stein, said lingers being,

. vided with e plurality of sets of lu ellective to prevent removal oi the toggle i'neinber from the radiator.

A retaining device for use with n. redintor cap equipped with .li instrument hi1;- ing a. threaded stein projecting through it hole in so id cup, coli'iprisingu toggle nuunber having at body port-ion comprising u rinurothere heii'igslots between ecch set, said slots c1;-

lending thru the body purl, :uul llll ff llfi pivolzilly.iuounlcil (1] said lugs and in said slots, and nicuns (()llll( 'llll;,f suiil toggle member with said instrument stem.

4. A rcluini-ng device for use "with :1 null ulor cup equipped with an instrument hurinp; a. threaded stein plll llft'llllg through :1, hole in said cup, comprising u toggle incinher having :1. body portion with u plurality of radial slots and u plurality of lingers in body portion and zuluplcd to lie ruiliuliy in substantially the Fllllt. -plzincor be folded radially into positionsiit substantially right angles to said body portion, and means (olincctiiu, said toggle incnibcr with said in Stl'llllltllt stem.

A retaining device for use \viih rudiutor cap equipped with an instrument havin; :1. lhrcudcd'steni projecting through a. hole in siiiilcap, comprising a toggle incinher huving a body portion, :r plurality of fingcrs pivoted thereon, and spring means connected hctwecn suiil lingers for moving; said lingers to extended position with reference, to said body portion, and llltfllllh' connecting. said toggle member with said instrument stem.

6. A retaining device for use with it rediator cap equipped with an instrument having a threaded stein projecting through it hole in said cap, comprising a toggle member having 2r body portion, a. plurality of lingers movably connected thereto and s15 ringmeens for moving said fingers to their extended positions, and means connecting said toggle member with said instrument stem.

T. A retaining device for use with e.- rudinlor cup equipped with an instrument ing: it t'rhrcuded stein projecting through a. hole in said 'cap, comprising: a. connection adopted to be secured to the in. ruinent stein, flexible means attached to sand connection. and u togfle member attached to said llexible means comprising a. body portion and a plurality of lingers pii'otolly connected thereto.

8. A retaining device or the cap of a container, said device comprising n body part, it flexible connector to connect the body part to the cap, and fingers pivoted on said body pert, the length of the connector being such as to cause the cap to obstruct access to the fingers to prevent manipulation thereof and thus prevent willl'ul removal of the retaining devi. e.

l). A retaining device for a. cap to close the neck of an. automobile radiator, said device comprising a retaining element her ince, hole therein, a connector atteched to suid'cep and having it loop at its lower mil to extend thru the hole in said retaining element, and a split ring in said loop to iold the retaining element on the connector.

hev-

e ining device for a cap to close the .neeiii at an automobile radiator, said device comp n a retaining element, said retaining eien'icnt comprising a body portion and pivoted lingers on the body portion, said fingers having slots at their inner ends, spring means to engage in said slots to swing said fingers to their effective positions, and stops to arrest said fingers in their cliectire positions.

11. The combination with a radiator, of a cap and instrument assembly thereon, an anchor trapped within the radiator, and means permanently connecting the anchor to the cap and instrument assembly, said :"tlttlmi' comprising a body portion and a plurality oi lingers pivotally connected 1' 1 llkli'ti ft! The combination with a radiator oi a cap and instrument assembly thereon, an anchor trapped within the radiator, and means connecting said anchor to the cap and instrmncnt assembly, said anchor comprising a plurality of pivotally connected :inemeers collapsible for insertion into the "for inserfieni ito a radiator and distendible after insertion to pie-imit enio al,

and means pernmnclitly connecting the (a r to said anchor.

.14. The combination with a radiator of a cap therefor, an anchor incscapably trapped within the radiator comprising, a plurality of individual members relatively movable toward another to diminish the breadth of. the anchor for insertion into the radiator, and d'stendible after insertion, and means permanently connecting the anchor to the cap. 5

In testimony whereof I have affixed my signature to this specification.

HERMAN SCHLAIGH. 

